Love, Caroline
by give-me-tvd
Summary: Stefan and Caroline are friends since forever, with secret feelings. And because the cowards they are, they keep losing each other. 'Love, Rosie' AU
A/N: Yes, new AU. Another one added to my unfinished business to make me feel guilty before my sleep. Just try to enjoy it! And tell me what you think! ;)

… …

She is sitting alone on the table, wearing a blue dress. Her hair made into two braids atop her head and meeting at the back of it, while golden locks lay on her shoulders. Her mind is elsewhere as her eyes stare at the glass in front of her. There's a noise around her, the sound of laughter and glasses and forks.

But the only thing she focuses on, is the snow globe between her fingers, lying on her lap. She holds it gently and her mind goes like a movie tape.

She sees two kids, 6 years old, blonde girl and shy boy shaking hands as they meet for the first time. She sees them running through the hallway of the school, hand in hand, she sees him giving her his breakfast, and she sees them getting into trouble, all together.

She sees them lying together on the ground and she remembers every single word he said, she remembers the dream he told her about and she can hear his voice in her head. She remembers how he held her hands.

The voice of her friend giving her the glass to make a toast wakes her up from her dream, and her eyes fall on him as he sits appose to her with a smile, his beautiful smile.

She swallows, stands, and hopes that she can do this.

"For those who I haven't had the chance to say hi to properly," She swallows again and forces a smile. "I'm Caroline."

He smiles at her, green eyes with wrinkles around them.

"And this has got to be, one of the happiest days of my life." She breathes out.

Because no, she didn't cry for fifteen minutes in the car today.

… …

12 years ago (Caroline's 18th birthday.)

She is in a night club, they are in a night club. She dancing and jumping, swaying her head with the loud music. And he's doing his best to be at the same level of craziness that she is in. But the only thing he can do is nod with his head to the music, in a red plaid that she's no longer mocking because she is too drunk. It's her birthday, he promised he would be _fun_. At least try to.

She is sitting on the bar while he stands between her legs, both swallow down another shot and squeeze their eyes shut after the burn of it. Her head falls back as she starts laughing, her hair falling behind in the process.

He laughs, too. His hands reaching for her waist in case she loses balance.

She doesn't. She comes back with her hands locked around his neck, still laughing and forcing him to laugh even more.

Maybe it was a start of a hug, or a brank. Whatever it was, it ended with her forehead against his. And her laughter starts to fade with her eyes falling closed. He does the same.

The music around them starts to disappear; nothing remains of it but muffles voices and music. She finds her finger moving up to the end of his hair, burying themselves in it. And she feels his hands holding her waist stronger.

With closes eyes, their face come even more closer, noses brushing one another's cheek before their lips finally touch. Slow and uncertain, and beautifully. They pull away, look into each other eyes and then she falls into his arms.

Literally.

Like a three years old kid who falls asleep in the middle of the story.

He carries her home, for what might be the hundred time in their life. Some how, she always ended up in his arms.

… …

Next morning is nothing but a headache, and the same song going on a loop in her head. A song that she knows she heard yesterday, but can't remember what she was doing through it.

She hears the door closing from downstairs, and her mom telling him that she is upstairs, wrapped in a blanket from head to toe during her first hangover.

He opens the door and peaks his head, she looks at him from under the blanket, groans and covers the rest of her face.

He falls next to her on bed and sighs.

"If you're gonna laught about my failure, save it." She says from under the cover.

"Actually, I think you did pretty good."

She looks up at him with raised eyebrows.

"For someone who drank that amount of alcohol for the first time, not bad at all." He gives her his 'I'm impressed' look.

"Non-sense. What happened was humiliation, real disaster. No one can know, Stefan. Even we are going to forget it." She says in a firm tone.

"Which part?" He manages to say, eyebrows furrowed and eyes looking away.

"All of it."

He nods his head, looking down at his hands.

"What's wrong?" She asks after a minute of silence.

"Nothing." He shakes his head, looks up and blinks few times. "Last night when I was carrying your unconscious body out of the club, a friend of dad's saw me and…" He trails off.

"Shit." She whispers.

"Now I have to spend two hours a day at the library for two weeks, to know more about the real world and to know what responsibility is about." He mocks his father.

"Well, you're a book worm, that's like heaven actually." She teases.

"It could be worse, I know." He keeps looking down at his finger, with his back against the wall. "And, in a matter of fact… it's not really bad at all." He raises his eyebrows, smiling at his hands.

She gets up and leans on her elbows, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Guess who's got part time job there? Katherine Pierce." His lips pull into a smirk as he says the name.

"Yeah right." She presses her lips.

"What?"

"Katherine Pierce? Even I want to sleep with Katherine Pierce."

He chuckles. "Well, for your information, she seems interested in me."

"I wouldn't say that, I'm sure she's just interested in your magical hair." She says before burying her fingers in his already messy hair, forcing him to tickle her in defense.

… …

She drags him to the beach, and he rants about how he is carrying things and she is not being careful.

They end up close to the fire, he leans on his elbows and she sits with her legs beneath her. Some of their friends run next to them, everyone laughing about something that has just happened. But they don't pay attention.

"This Tyler Lockwood is overrated." He mutters as he looks at him. She turns around and watches him too.

"Seriously hot though." She smirks and he rolls his eyes. "He invited me to the prom." She looks down at her toes buried in the sand.

"What did you say?" He responds after a moment, eyes a bit wider than normal but not noticeable.

"No, obviously, I'm going with you." She rolls her eyes and he lets out a breath.

"Hey, Stefan."

They look up to see sweet Katherine Pierce, in shorts and grey t-shirt that looks like it would fit her little sister –if she had one.

"Hey, Katherine." Stefan smiles.

"I missed you at the library today." She does that thing with her lips and Caroline suddenly wants to puke.

"Yeah, I uh, got caught up." He presses his lips.

"Well, we still have tomorrow." She winks at him as she steps back. "See ya, care bear."

She walks to her friends, bouncing and swaying her hair as she does.

"Seriously?" Caroline mutters as she watches him stare at her after she leaves.

"You've gotta admit, my chances aren't that bad." He teases.

"Leaving out the part where you're virgin?" She doesn't even care to lower his voice. He looks down and groans, shaking his head, probably to get rid of the blush.

"Responsibility, Caroline." He scoffs.

"Good luck with that."

"She wants me to take her to the prom."

She looks at him and forgets what to say, only raises her eyebrows.

"I know."

"Take her, if it means that much to you." Her voice is a bit serious.

He stares at her for good five seconds, his smiles seeming heavy. "Come on."

"I'll go with Tyler." She raises her eyebrows.

"Huh?"

"It'll be good for both of us."

"Okay… I'll go ask her then."

"Go."

He looks at her one more time before standing up and going to Katherine.

The sound of Katherine's giggle and the sight of her kissing his cheek will never leave her memory.

TBC.

A/N2: So what do you think? Btw I wrote that quickly 'cause I needed it done as a birthday gift, so I'm sure there are few (if not many) mistakes! Sorry about that. Now, back to the review part :3


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